Instant Pot Pork Stew
A rich and hearty Instant Pot Pork Stew that turns pork shoulder into fork-tender chunks in about 30 minutes of pressure cooking, with a thick, savory broth built from a hard sear and starchy Yukon Gold potatoes.
Equipment
- 6-Quart Instant Pot - or similar electric pressure cooker
- Chef's knife - for cubing the pork and vegetables
- Wooden spoon - for scraping up the browned bits
- Small bowl - for mixing the cornstarch slurry
- Plate or bowl - to hold the seared pork
- Silicone-tipped tongs - (optional) for lifting hot pork cubes in and out of the insert
- Fat separator - (optional) for skimming rendered fat from the surface
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil - 30 ml
- 2.5 lbs boneless pork shoulder - 1.1 kg, trimmed and cut into 1.5-inch (4 cm) cubes
- 1 teaspoon salt - 6 g
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper - 1 g
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika - 2 g
- 1 large yellow onion - diced
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 stalks celery - sliced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste - 45 g
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce - 30 ml
- 3 cups low-sodium beef broth - 720 ml
- 1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes - 450 g, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
- 3 medium carrots - about 250 g, sliced into rounds
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme - 1 g
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary - 1 g
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch - 24 g, whisked with 3 tablespoons (45 ml) cold water
- 1 cup frozen peas - 150 g
- fresh parsley - chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Pat the pork cubes dry with paper towels, then season all over with salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Press Saute on the Instant Pot set to More, add olive oil, and sear the pork in two or three batches in a single layer for about 3 minutes per batch until deeply browned. Transfer the seared pork to a plate and set aside, leaving the rendered fat and browned bits in the pot.
- Add the diced onion and sliced celery to the pot and saute for 3 to 4 minutes until the onion softens, stirring often. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, then stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, letting it darken slightly against the bottom of the pot.
- Pour in the Worcestershire sauce and about half of the beef broth. Scrape the bottom of the insert thoroughly with a wooden spoon to lift every browned bit, making sure nothing is still stuck before moving on.
- Return the seared pork and any juices on the plate to the pot, then pour in the rest of the beef broth. Add the potato chunks, carrot rounds, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and bay leaves, and stir gently so everything is submerged. Do not stir in the cornstarch slurry or the peas yet.
- Lock the lid in place and set the valve to sealing. Select Manual or Pressure Cook on high pressure and set the timer for 30 minutes. Allow about 10 to 15 minutes for the pot to come up to pressure, then when the timer finishes, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before carefully switching the valve to venting to release any remaining pressure.
- Open the lid, remove and discard the bay leaves, and skim off excess surface fat if needed. Press Saute again to bring the stew to a gentle simmer, whisk the cornstarch and cold water together one more time, then stir the slurry into the simmering stew. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring, until the broth thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, then stir in the frozen peas and cook for 2 minutes more until heated through. Turn off the pot, taste, and adjust salt and pepper, and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- Choose pork shoulder, not loin. Pork shoulder, also sold as pork butt or Boston butt, has the fat and connective tissue that turn silky under pressure. Lean loin or tenderloin will turn out dry and stringy even with correct timing.
- Sear in batches and do not rush it. Crowding the pot drops the temperature and you get gray, steamed pork with no crust. The fond from a proper sear is where most of the broth's depth comes from.
- Cut everything to size. Keep the pork at about 1.5 inches and the potatoes at about 1 inch so they finish cooking at the same time.
- Deglaze completely. Any fond left stuck to the bottom of the insert is the usual cause of a burn warning. Scrape thoroughly with a flat-edged wooden spoon before pressure cooking.
- Let it rest before thickening. A 10-minute natural release keeps the pork juicy, since a fast release can make the meat seize up and toughen.
- Add delicate vegetables last. Peas go in at the very end so they stay bright green instead of turning to mush.
- Storage: Cool the stew to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze in portioned containers for up to 3 months, leaving headspace since the liquid expands.
- Reheating: Thaw frozen stew in the fridge overnight. Warm on the stovetop over medium-low heat or use the Instant Pot Saute function on low, adding a splash of broth if it has thickened too much. Single bowls can be microwaved in 1-minute bursts, stirring between each.
- Variations: Add a diced chipotle in adobo and a teaspoon of cumin for a smoky, spicy version; stir in heavy cream or sour cream for a creamy finish; swap half the potatoes for parsnips, turnips, or sweet potatoes; replace one cup of broth with apple cider and add a diced apple; saute sliced cremini mushrooms with the onion and deglaze with dry red wine; stir in baby spinach or kale at the end; or skip the potatoes and thicken with extra cornstarch or a splash of cream for a low-carb version.
- Make-ahead: The flavor deepens overnight, making this a strong meal-prep choice. Make it up to 4 days ahead and reheat gently before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1BowlCalories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 34gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 620mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5g
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